AN INVENTOR famous in China for his ingenuity has devised a battery-operated, remote control helicopter sprayer he claims will save on labour, 40 per cent of pesticide and 90pc of water use.
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Li Caisheng owns Shenzhen Eagle Brother UAV Innovation Co Ltd. The company describes itself as a “high-tech enterprise professionally engaged in R&D, manufacturing, marketing and after-sales service of agricultural UAVs for precision agriculture, including plant protection, seeding pesticide spraying, solid fertiliser spraying and agricultural data collection and transmission”.
Mr Li claims have co-operated with the Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s artificial intelligence experts in the US earlier this year to research and develop intelligent autostereoscopic 3D obstacle avoidance self-control technology. The technology is used in the automatic intelligent single-rotor UAV, which can identify the terrain through a sensor and visual system, automatically generating 3D flight maps.
Other products include a 35-kilogram fuel-powered UAV, a 10-15kg multi-rotor UAV, and a water-cooled fuel-powered 76kg UAV.
At AgQuip, Mr Li unveiled the battery-powered single-rotor remote control UAV sprayer, which has an empty weight of 10.5kg with a maximum loading capacity of 31.5kg and pesticides container capacity of 17 litres.
The 3WD-TY-17L can spray 6.5 to 7 metres and can stay airborne for 15 to 25 minutes, covering up to 1300 square metres a minute. It can operate manually, via GPS or with the option of autonomous navigation.
“Our independently developed battery-powered single-rotor UAV has (been) awarded several new utility patents on loading capacity, structure and appearance, which fill the technology gap domestically and abroad,” he said.
Mr Li has several branches in China, is expanding to South Korea, Thailand and Laos, and is looking for partners in Australia.
However, The Land cannot attest to the capability of helicopter as Mr Li could not bring the operating battery through customs.
- Visit 111uav.com